Fire-escape.



iinrr Mnnvriv of. ivrctauerinrnor YORK, NEBRASKA.

rrnnnscarn resinas.

A Specication'of Letters Patent. Pagntd July 17,

application inea April 2e, 19i6. serial No. 93,638.

T0 all whom t maj/ concern.'

Be it known that l, MnnvIN O. McLAUGi-I- LIN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of York, in the "county of York and State of Nebraska1 have invented `a certain new yand useful: Improvement in Fire-Escapes, of which the following is a specification. A i

One of the principal objects of this invention is to provide an improved fire escape capable of attachment to a window casing in such manner to be normally folded against the wall `when not in use, within the room', where it will be shielded'from the elements, the device being 0f a compact yet strong construction, so asnot to prominently attract attention or disgure the appearance of the room'.

Another object of the invention contemplates the provision of an improved fire escape in which a reel or spool is included on' which a rope for supporting a `belt is wound, improved means being provided for controlling the'spee'dv of the reel asthe descent is made.

A still' furtherl object contemplates the provisionv of" an improved fire escape which is extremely simple, durable, efficient in operation, and inexpensive t manufacture;

With these and other objects in view which will become apparent as the description proceeds, the vinvention resides'in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described ing drawing in which like characters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several figures, of which- Figure 1 represents a view in elevation of a lire escape constructed according to my invention.

Fig. 2 represents a top plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 represents a view in section taken on the plane indicated by the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

ln carrying out my invention, I provide a suitable bracket indicated at 5 which may be secured to the side of a window casing or to any other convenient portion of the building. The bracket includes a pin 6 over which an eye 7 formed at the inner end of a leaf 8 fits. The outer end of the leaf is provided with an eye 9 in which a pin 10 having a right angularly extending portion 11 at its upper end is received.- This right angularly extended upper end is projected and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanyto form an axle 12 on which a spool or reel -l suitable manner as at 18 to the overbent portion '17 'is a lever 19. The inner end of the lever lies underneath the'overbent portion or ear 17, as indicated, being disposed immediately above the reel. The lever extends in substantially tangential relation with the disks 14, and -is provided with `depending flanges 20 lying outside of the disks and serving at the same time to prevent lateral pivotal movement of the lever and to support the disks against strain` which might tend to bend or distort them when the de# vice is in operation. j l

The lower portion ofthe plate 15 is bent inwardly as at 21 and provided with an opening through which a rope or cable or other flexible element 22 may run. This flexibleelement is wound a number of times Y upon the spool or reel and is then passed upwardly through' an eye 23, depended from adjacent the outer end of the lever19, from whence the flexible element hangs downwardly. The portion of the flexible element which is suspended directly' fromlthe reel angl which extends through the opening in the inbent portion 21, is provided with a suitable belt or other means for suspendv ing a person using the lire escape.

The operation of the device may be briefly described as follows: A person in escaping from the building first swings the device outwardly in the position indicated in `Fig. 1, and then having adjusted the belt about his person, lowers himself from the window sill, retaining his grip with both hands 1upon the portion of the flexible element which depends from the outer end of the lever 19, and which may be called the brake contro-l portion. The speed of the reel is continuously retarded by reason of the frictional engagement of the washer. 16 therewith, but if the speed becomes too great, a pull downwardly upon the brake control portion of the flexible element will swing the lever 19 downwardly into frictional engagement with the periphery of the disks 14 whereby to control the speed of the reel and maintain it at the desired speed.

It is well knownV that the tendency of persons Vlowering themselves from a height, is to grasp tightly the object down which they are climbing, and it is therefore apparent that persons, even though not practised in the use of the fire escape, will, in tightly grasping the brake rope, normally retain the reel at or near a standstill, and will only relax their grip as they lower themselves hand over hand intermittently, so that the reel will revolve relativelyr slowly, whereby danger of the persons falling and injuring himself will be eliminated.

When not in use, the device may be swung inwardly to fold against the inner wall of the room, where it will be out of the way, and will bexprotected from rain and snow, andA if desired,` when the device is not in use, the flexible element may be neatly coiled either upon the window sill or in some other suitable place where it will not be in evidence. y

Although I have described the preferred embodiment of my invention, I may desire tomake such changes in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts thereof, as do not depart from the spirit of the'invention and the scope of the appended claims. Y

I claim 1.`A fire escape including a reel, means for supporting it, a plate arranged in spaced relation with the reel and having an over'- turned portion overlying the reel, a washer arranged between the plate and reel frictionally retarding the latter, a lever connected with the overturned portion of the plate overlying the reel and having depending flanges embracing the reel whereby to restrain the lever against lateral pivotal movement and whereby to restrain the reel against warping while in operation, a. flexible element wound upon the reel and depending at one end from the reel, a guide through which the flexible element depends, and a guide depending from the outer end of the lever through which the opposite end portion of the flexible element extends.

2. A fire escape including a reel, means for supporting it, means for normally irictionally retarding rotation of the reel, a lever connected with the supporting means overlying the reel and having depending portions embracing the reel restricting the lever against lateral movement and restraining the reel against warping while in operation, a flexible element wound upon the reel and depending therefrom at one end, a guide for the said depending portion of the flex ible element, a guide arranged adjacent the outer end of the lever, the opposite portion of the flexible element extending through the last said guide.

3. A fire escape including a leaf adapted to be pivotally mounted on a building, an axle pivotally mounted on the leaf, a reel rotatably mounted on the axle, a plate iixedly secured on the axle in spaced relation with the reel, a washer arranged between the reel and plate, a lever connected with the plate and adapted to be moved into engagement with the reel, and a flexible element mounted on the reel and adapted to be connected with the body of a person using the fire escape, said flexible element having engagement with the lever whereby it may be 4operated to shift the lever into engagement with the reel.

MELVIN O. MGLAUGHLIN.

Copies ofY this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

. Lwashington, D. C. 

